


Mortal

by SinnySkelle



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Deity Sans, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pagan Gods, Political Unrest, Religious Conflict, Religious Scandals
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-23 20:14:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9674330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinnySkelle/pseuds/SinnySkelle
Summary: Papyrus, an orphaned child, is taken in by the church and is raised by the town's priest where he grows up training to become a monster of God, just like Father Gaster. One day he wonders into the nearby Forbidden Forest where he discovers an ancient deity: the god of the forest, Sans. Torn between fallowing his soul and fallowing his religious training, Papyrus struggles to do what is right. When conflict hits the kingdom, Papyrus is left to make the biggest decision of his life.Based offSymphysins - a deity and his favorite mortal





	1. There He Was

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: This story may include sensitive topics such as religion and misrepresentation of religion. Please read at your own discretion.

 

Church bells tolled through the small, quaint village that thrived at the edge of the great Royal Kingdom. As the bells continued to ring, villagers began to file out of the church doors. Neighbors and friends laughed merrily. Children ran ahead to play after being silent and still for so many hours, quickly grabbing a ball to start a playful game with one another. As the villagers emerged from the day’s sermon, they thanked and shook hands with the priest at the door.

 

“What a lovely message today Father Gaster, thank you so much.” A female cat monster wearing a slightly more extravagant gown than the rest of the town’s folk gushed as she shook hands with the man before her.

 

Father Gaster’s cracked smile widened as he took the cat monster's paw in both his skeletal hands, leaning down to bow slightly to the woman. “Why it’s my pleasure. I’m humbled to be a simple messenger for our Holy Father.”

 

“Father you must come to dinner with my family. My daddy has been dying to get more involved with the church.” The cat monster insisted as she gestured towards her house at the top of a grand hill.

 

“Well, how could I possibly say no to such a pleasant request from the village headman’s daughter?” Father Gaster chuckled and straightened himself. “But before I go, I have just a few duties to tend to. Please ma’am, wait here.”

 

The cat monster smiled and nodded as she stood back, letting the priest head back into the church.

 

Gaster’s long strides carried him to the back of the church in no time where he entered the church's living quarters. “Papyrus!” He called out as he gathered his scarf and coat.

 

“Yes Father?” A tall, cheery skeleton monster poked his head out of the kitchen upon hearing his name. After a few moments with no response, Papyrus decided to remove his apron and walk towards the entrance of the living quarters where he spotted Father Gaster gathering his overnight bag. “Are you going somewhere, Father?”

 

“The village headman’s daughter invited me over for dinner. If all goes well, I should be able to persuade the village headman to donate some of his king’s rations to the church. This is a crucial meeting Papyrus so I may be gone overnight, maybe even a few days.”

 

Papyrus frowned as he listened to Father Gaster’s words. The church already got a gracious amount of money from the state. It wasn’t like they were living in poverty. Heck, they were living beyond their means! Having any more money donated to the church at this point would simply be gratuitous. “Father, it is wonderful that the headman would be willing to give to the church, but I do not believe that we need it.”

 

Father Gaster stopped in his tracks and shot Papyrus and icy glare that immediately caused the other skeleton to shrink in on himself and avert his gaze.  

 

“This is why you are still in training Papyrus. So young and naive. You would do best to stick to your studies while staying _out_ of official business.” Gaster’s voice hissed as he adjusted his hat harshly.

 

“Yes sir.” Papyrus whispered as he continued to look at the ground. He never understood these things. The bible never spoke of the church as a business, so why did it matter how much money the church recieved. Papyrus never understood why Father Gaster prioritized the leaders and elite of the village over the poorer members of town. It seemed that everything Gaster did was always the opposite of what God wished.

 

“While I’m gone you will tend to all the chores. If my visit at the headman’s house stays long, I will send for my things.” Gaster paused when he noticed Papyrus had not responded. He looked over to see the other skeleton monster still staring shyly at the ground.

 

Gaster’s smile spread as he stepped closer to his protégé and tucked a bony finger under the other’s chin, forcing Papyrus to look up at him. “My boy, I hate seeing you with that face. Smile for me…” Gaster’s other hand moved to cup Papyrus’ cheek gently, rubbing his thumb across the smooth bone.

 

Papyrus felt an uncomfortable shiver run up his spine at Father Gaster’s affection. He didn’t like it when Gaster got like this. Personal space and boundaries always flew out the window when Gaster was like this. Not to mention Father Gaster would always look at him with those eyes. Gaster always told Papyrus that he was stupid and didn’t know anything, but Papyrus knew enough to know he didn’t like this. Skillfully, and with much practice, Papyrus casually removed Gaster’s hand and laughed off the situation as he stepped back. “I am sorry. I will do my best to keep the smile on my face!”  

 

“That’s my boy. You’re so much more beautiful when you smile.”

 

Papyrus had to force himself from cringing at the comment as he watched Father Gaster wave and head out the door.

 

Once the door closed, Papyrus waited exactly five seconds before letting go of a long held breath . “Well… onto the chores I suppose.”

 

Papyrus relaxed knowing that Gaster would be gone for at least a day. This gave him time to do more leisurely activities rather than staying cooped up in his room all day studying. Papyrus hummed to himself as he swept the floors and stacked away scattered books. It wasn’t like Papyrus didn’t like studying, in fact he loved it. He aspired to become a great and well-loved priest one day. But Papyrus couldn’t help feeling antsy when he didn’t get to move around a lot. He was an active skeleton, and hours of reading didn’t help his overactive bouts of energy.

 

Once Papyrus was done with all the cabinets, dishes, and books, he decided to clean out the rugs.

 

With a huff, Papyrus lugged all the rugs out of the church and into the back where the clothes line was. He picked up the first rug and draped it over the clothes line before grabbing a stick and beating the dust out of the well-used rug.    

 

“Hey! Incoming!”

 

“Wha-AH!” Papyrus had mere moments to jump back before a ball whizzed by his skull, shooting past him and rolling down the hill and into the forest below.

 

A few seconds later, a gang of kids came running up, gasping in horror as they watched their ball roll deep into the overgrown, lush forest at the edge of the village. “Oh no! Our ball!”

 

Papyrus laughed and placed his hands on his hips. “You kids better go get your ball before it gets lost.”

 

“It’s already lost. It’s gone forever.” An armless yellow lizard monster pouted as he kicked the dirt in frustration.

 

“What are you talking about? It is right there in the forest. Go get it.” Papyrus raised a brow bone at the children’s apathetic behavior.

 

“You don’t understand. That’s the forbidden forest. Our parents told us to never EVER go in there!” The monster child exclaimed, jumping up and down.

 

“The forbidden forest…?” Papyrus repeated in wonderment as he gazed up at the aged oak trees that lined the forest walls. Papyrus didn’t have parents. Being an orphaned child taken in by the church meant he missed out on a lot of the town’s folk lore. “Why is it forbidden?”

 

Most of the children began cowering in fear as they all looked at each other in disbelief. The stories were widely known, it was uncommon for anyone except outsiders to not know the tales. No one wanted to be the one to speak of the horrors.

 

The armless yellow lizard monster looked around at all his friends cowering to themselves. After taking a deep breath, he decided to step up and inform Papyrus of the forbidden forest himself. “They say a demon lives in the forest. Back in the day, the village use to give the demon live sacrifices so it wouldn’t eat everyone in town! Every year, the people gathered around giving up someone they loved to quench the demons blood lust. The whole village lived under the demons tyranny. Till one day, the church came and God saved the village from the demon, so now they no longer have to give it sacrifices. But… people say that the demon still lives to this very day, hiding in the forest, waiting for a Godless villager to come by so it can gobble them up!”

 

As soon as the monster child finished, the rest of the kids screamed in horror. “Screw this we don’t need that ball! Let’s get out of here!” And in a flash, the kids ran off, fearful of being even that close to the forest line.

 

Papyrus watched bewildered as the town’s children ran in fear. He didn’t understand the tale at all. Papyrus had lived in the church which sat close to the forest line for years and had not once seen nor heard of a demon.   

   

After a moment of quiet contemplation, a soft breeze blew by rustling the trees to the forest. The soft rustling caught Papyrus’ attention and he turned towards the forest. The breeze began to pick up, almost as if some invisible force was pushing him in. As Papyrus watched the smaller branches of the trees sway in the wind, he came to a decision.

 

Steeling himself from the frightening tales of the forest, Papyrus clenched his hands firmly into fists at his sides as he made his way through the thicket towards the forest. With unbreakable courage and determination, Papyrus entered the forbidden forest.

 

Once inside, Papyrus began looking around for the children’s lost ball. Using the sunlight that peeked through the leaves, Papyrus made his way deeper into the forest.  

 

Papyrus frowned as the search turned up empty. The ball couldn’t have rolled into the forest this far, could it?

 

After a good half hour of looking, Papyrus sighed in annoyance as he leaned against a large shady tree for a break. This forest didn’t seem that scary, but it was rather large and full of overgrown vegetation. After taking a few minutes to catch his breath, Papyrus took a moment to really stop and look around at his surroundings. In fact, now that he was looking, the forest seemed… beautiful. Papyrus’ sockets widened as he gazed over the colorful wild flowers and the plentiful fruit trees. A decent sized creek ran through the entire length of the forest, pooling into a large pond which housed large lily pads and a nice rest for the forest creatures. This was a real life garden of paradise.  

 

Suddenly, a twig snapped causing Papyrus to flinch.

 

He quickly shot around, his nerves on high alert ready for a demon to attack, when he came face to face with a deer.

 

Papyrus froze and felt a relieved chuckle rise in his throat. He was being jumpy for no reason.

 

His laughter startled the deer and the animal pranced away, hopping over the creek to the other side where it vanished into the deeper brushes of the forest.

 

As Papyrus watched the majestic creature run away, his eyes landed on a small, white, round object near a bush the deer had passed.

 

Papyrus gasped and smiled. “The ball!”

 

Without wasting a moment, Papyrus jumped across a set of rocks to get to the other side of the creek. He landed safely on the other side, and with a smile, walked towards the waiting ball. As Papyrus made his way to the bush, he looked around and noticed the largest and oldest oak tree of the forest was nestled right behind the shrub. The tree was magnificent in stature and was quite the sight. It had to be at least several hundred years old. Possibly a thousand. The tree’s trunk rounded to what looked like 70 feet in diameter.

 

After admiring the large oak tree, Papyrus knelt down to retrieve the lost ball. “Huh? What’s this?” Once Papyrus removed the ball from the bush, it revealed a small corner of smooth stone. Strange, the stone looked too shapely, almost as if it was carved…

 

Driven by his curiosity, Papyrus pulled at the branches of the bush only to discover it was not a bush, but a pile of loose debris. With a few more swipes of his arm, Papyrus was able to clean away all the loose leaves and twigs, revealing a carved stone statue of a knelt over beast.

 

Papyrus eyed the statue in awe. The once smooth stone ruffed away, giving way to cracks. It was a little dilapidated from the elements, but it looked as if at one point and time the statue was well-kempt. Papyrus reached out and gently ran his hand across the stone statue. It was obviously done by someone with exceptional craftsmanship. But who would carve such an incredible statue just to leave it out in the forest?

 

Papyrus frowned as he thought of such a beautiful piece of art being left to decay.

 

After a moment of thought, Papyrus pulled out his handkerchief and dipped the cloth in the nearby creek. From there, Papyrus went to work cleaning up the long forgotten statue, wiping away all dust, dirt, and grime, trying to restore the statue to its once former glory. At least to the best of his abilities.

 

Time flew away as the sun began to cross the skies to the west.

 

Papyrus sat back on his knees and used his sleeve to wipe away the sweat that ran down his skull. After taking a few deep breaths, papyrus smiled and placed his hands on his hips as he looked over his hard work.

 

The statue had been thoroughly cleaned, restoring the stone back to its vibrant color. Now that the dirt and grime was wiped way, Papyrus could clearly make out the creature in the statue. His hands slowly slid down from his hips and his sockets widened to the sight before him. The setting sun shined through the forest leaves, landing perfectly onto the statue below, giving the figure a soft almost godly glow. Papyrus looked over the statue of the skeleton monster with deer like horns, hunched over in an elegant veil. Papyrus couldn’t help himself as he reached out and gently touched the stone cheek of the carved skeleton monster. Something about the statue…

 

Papyrus couldn’t deny that the statue's likeness alone of this creature could only be described as… beautiful.

 

“Why were you abandoned…?” Papyrus whispered as he looked over the soft smiling features of the carved skeleton monster.

 

With a few quick looks around, Papyrus reached over to some of the wild flowers and began picking a few of the nicest blooms. With skilled hands, Papyrus began to weave together the stems of the flowers. He chuckled to himself as he recalled making many flower crowns by himself when he was younger. Always weaving together stems of flowers during long nights alone with just him and his books. After a few moments, Papyrus smiled happily as he placed the finished flower crown atop the head of the statue. “I’m not sure why you’ve been forgotten, whoever you were, But… I hope this helps.” Papyrus felt his soul lighten at the sight of the flower crown on top of the statues head. Whoever this monster or creature was, they were obviously well loved. It was a shame to see them forgotten and left to the shadows of the forest. “Everyone deserves to feel wanted.” Papyrus’ smile slowly faded as he thought about himself, and how he was abandoned at such a young age. The bright warm feeling in his soul quickly began to fade the more he thought about it.

 

“Thank you…”

 

Papyrus flinched out of his depressing thoughts as he quickly stood up and spun around towards the voice behind him.

 

There, standing before him in the rays of the setting sun, was the very same creature carved in the stone statue. The small, deer horned skeleton monster smiled softly as he floated a few inches off the ground, his long elegant robes waving in the soft breeze surrounded by loose flower petals.

 

Papyrus’ sockets widened as he stared in silent shock at the ethereal, stunning, and a little intimidating god like creature.    

 

 


	2. Meeting Him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I'm glad to see the first chapter got such a positive reaction. Unfortunately this fic won't be as long as my others, as seen by the chapter sizes, but that only means I'll get to post quicker. lol
> 
> Hope you all enjoy :D

 

Papyrus stood frozen in place, his sockets wide as he gazed upon the immaculate creature before him. He felt his breath hitch in his throat as he tried to force out a word. His mind failed him once he recovered, leaving him speechless in the creatures wake.

 

After a few moments of silence, the horned creature descended to the ground, its robes and vail cascading down and draping elegantly around its small, skeletal frame. The small skeleton cocked its head to the side, its grin wide, but not exactly reaching its eyes. “I’m sorry, did I startle you?”

 

Papyrus stole himself from his shocked state as the creature’s soft, low voice resonated through his bones. Hearing such a beautiful creature speak sent chills up his spine and it took him a moment of silent recollection to be sure his own voice wouldn’t betray him. Papyrus coughed to clear his voice, just to be on the safe side, before speaking. “W-well yes, a little. I didn’t expect anyone else to be out here.”

 

The small skeleton once again cocked his head to the side as he gave Papyrus a curious look. “Why would I not be here? This forest is my home.”

 

Papyrus was certain this horned skeleton was no normal monster. Something about him seemed… otherworldly. Regardless, there was a strong piece of his soul that stayed in denial. Papyrus needed to hear what the creature was from its own mouth. Papyrus then thought for a moment, thinking of a way to steer the conversation in such a manner that would have the creature confessing. “So this forest is your home? Odd, most of the villagers steer clear of this place. They say its home to a demon.” Papyrus chuckled softly once finishing his statement. He hoped with all his soul that the creature would laugh with him at the absurdity.

 

The horned skeleton stayed silent. He did not laugh nor even smile at the remark.

 

The lack of response had Papyrus on edge.

 

“I haven’t seen a demon in this forest for many a years, and I’ve lived here for centuries.” The horned skeleton stated so mater-of-factly.

 

Papyrus flinched at the creature’s response. He could tell by its tone of voice that it was not joking. After a moment of tense silence, Papyrus was able to swallow a lump in his throat and summon the courage to ask the question he had been dreading. “C-centuries? I take it from your response and your appearance that you are no normal skeleton monster… What then… What are you?”

 

The horned skeleton looked down for a moment, almost as if the question saddened him. Papyrus didn’t dare try to rush the creature into responding faster. Instead, he let the silence between them continue until the horned skeleton looked back up, its grin even smaller than before. “I am Sans, god of the forest.”

 

Papyrus felt his bones tingle with both fear and excitement all at once. While deep down in his soul he knew it all along, his mind continued to scream with conflict.

 

This… this was a god of old. Immortal beings from the dark ages. Papyrus had learned all about these creatures in his studies. His books mentioned that such gods and goddesses were fake prophecies, just demons in disguise, used to swindle town’s people into giving them their gold and virgins. He learned that the spread of churches helped cast away these fake gods into the shadows, successfully freeing people from their tyranny. Papyrus was told that these gods had been abolished, and only towns that had forsaken the one true Lord still worshiped them. Yet… here one stood. In the forest behind his own village. Papyrus couldn’t help but feel that even standing in the creature’s presence was a betrayal to his own God.

 

All Papyrus’ religious training screamed run away. Everything he had been warned about was standing right in front of him.

 

But yet…

 

Papyrus looked harder at the horned skeleton before him. The soft glow of the setting sun shone threw the trees and shined warmly onto the small skeleton, the soft light illuminating his ivory bones. Although, even with the gentle light illuminating down on the smaller skeleton, Papyrus could still distinctly see dark circles of weariness on those stunning bones. The forest god named Sans looked so downtrodden, so broken, so… sad. There was no way this creature could really be a demon in disguise, right?

 

Papyrus began to fidget with his hands. His religious training told him to turn and run away, yet his soul screamed to stay and comfort the creature. On one hand, his books emphasized how dangerous these creatures could be, yet on the other hand, Papyrus felt no fear nor threat being around the creature. The internal battle was maddening.

 

“Sans… I… I like the name.” Papyrus found himself blurting out without really thinking. He didn’t know what else to do.  

 

Sans looked up into Papyrus’ eyes and his smile widened, just a bit.

 

Papyrus couldn’t help but notice the happy pulse of magic that pinged from his soul upon seeing Sans smile. He found that the horned skeleton was that much more beautiful when he smiled genuinely.

 

After what seemed like an eternity of silence and staring, Papyrus noticed that the soft rays of the setting sun had vanished and the sky gave way to the dark hues of violet and blue, indicating that night was soon to come. “Well I guess I should get going. It’s getting late.” Papyrus began to rub the back of his skull awkwardly.

 

Sans’ smile faded as he watched the taller skeleton pick up the forgotten ball and dust off the object of the mud and leaves that had collected on it. Sans felt his whole frame shrinking and in the corner of his eye he noticed a single flower begin to wilt. When the other skeleton’s attention was drawn to the ball, Sans quickly and quietly moved in front of the flower to cover it, not wanting to frighten the already scared mortal.

 

Once Papyrus was done cleaning off the ball he looked back up at Sans and noticed the horned skeleton frowning and staring at the ground. His soul once again began to ache, wanting to reach out to the smaller skeleton and help. He couldn’t stand seeing others sad, regardless of who they were. “Uh, Sans?”

 

Sans looked up upon hearing his name. He was a little surprised the mortal had not turned and run away already. Most mortals would have. He couldn’t count how many people had fled just upon seeing his presence alone.

 

“Is… is it alright if I come by tomorrow? I mean, will you be here?” Papyrus asked nervously. He wasn’t sure why he was doing this, but part of him felt like if he visited the creature once again, it would make their day. Papyrus couldn’t stop thinking about the abandoned statue of the forest god and how lonely the diety of old must feel. He couldn’t stop comparing the forest god to himself when he was younger, always alone in his room studying, watching other children play from his window. He wondered if Sans had ever been surrounded by loved ones at one point, how he must feel so abandoned now.

 

Sans immediately brightened up, his grin stretching back into a genuine smile once more. “You can come by if you want. I’ll be here.”    

 

“Great! I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Papyrus flashed Sans a bright smile of his own, happy to see that his hunch was correct. He was sure he was breaking all sorts of church rules, but Father Gaster would be gone for a while. What he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. Papyrus felt a little guilty at the idea of keeping such a big secret from Gaster, but the guilt was outweighed by the thought of making Sans happy. He wasn’t sure why making Sans happy was such a big deal to him, but he couldn’t deny that his soul was telling him to do so. Papyrus didn’t know much, but he knew to follow his soul.

 

Papyrus then turned around ready to head out of the forest and make his way back to the church, when he heard light footsteps behind him.

 

“Wait!”

 

Papyrus paused and turned around, shocked to see Sans had run up to him, his hand outstretched and ready to grab his arm, but frozen mid reach. He gazed at Sans with a questioning look.

 

“What’s your name, mortal?” Sans asked as he pulled his hand back quickly. He quietly berated himself for his brash behavior. Had he touched the mortals arm, he was sure he would have scared them off.

 

Papyrus’ sockets widened. How rude of him! He never introduced himself! Papyrus quickly turned and flashed Sans another bright smile as he waved a hand. “Goodness, where are my manors! My name is Papyrus!”

 

Sans froze and stayed quiet as he stared at Papyrus with wide sockets.

 

There was little noise, only the sound of the soft evening breeze rustling the leaves of the tall trees. Even though the sun had set, Papyrus’ smile alone lit up the whole forest. His bright smile and personality was light in itself. It could warm every rock, every tree, and every soul… Sans wanted to reach up and rub his sternum where his soul pulsed behind his rib cage, but his body was frozen still, caught in the moment.

 

Taking Sans silence as his que to leave, Papyrus then turned and continued on his way out of the forest. Besides, he had a ball to return and quite the tale to tell.

 

But… On second thought, Papyrus decided it was best to keep this story to himself.

 

At least for now.  

  

As Papyrus vanished through the thick brush and trees, Sans finally let out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding. A small skeletal hand reached up and cupped his glowing cheek as another lay over his frantically beating soul.

 

From the corner of his eye, Sans noticed the once wilted flower had recovered, and was now bloomed into a beautiful, bright pink peony.

 

_________________________________________________________

 

Papyrus sighed as he flopped down onto his bed, his skull smooshed into the soft pillow.

 

To his luck, Father Gaster had yet to return from his trip to the headman’s house. It seemed as though Gaster’s schmoozing had gone exactly as planned because when he got home there was a letter attached to the church door informing Papyrus of his extended stay.

 

Papyrus felt himself letting go of a relieved breath. He wasn’t sure he had it in him to hide such a huge lie from Gaster. He was sure he would end up acting strange or nervous and Father Gaster would notice something was wrong.

 

The turn of events was for the better. Now Papyrus didn’t have to worry about sneaking around for the next week.

 

As Papyrus tossed and turned in his bed, his skull buzzing restlessly, the taller skeleton decided it was best he brush up on his old deity studies before meeting with Sans tomorrow. With overenergized bones and nerves, Papyrus shot up and quickly made his way to the study.

 

He had so many questions and he couldn’t wait to get them answered.

 

Part of Papyrus felt like he was performing some sort of sin with his secret plan to visit Sans, but yet his soul continued to hum with the desire to see the forest god again…

 


	3. Alone No Longer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look at this, the fic lives! lol

As soon as the birds began singing in the morning light, Papyrus was up and awake. In all honesty he hadn’t slept much. His excitement and nerves kept him awake most of the night, and yet for some reason he wasn’t tired. All evening he couldn’t stop thinking about his encounter with the forest god. He spent most of his evening reading up on the history of old deities, but unfortunately, the only information he was able to find were just horror stories recorded by the church. Papyrus felt a little upset that none of the church’s books had any real information on the gods of old. He wasn’t completely sure, but he had a feeling that most of the information written down was purposely misconstrued. Regardless, Papyrus didn’t worry too much. Today he’d have a chance to ask all the questions he wanted, because today… today he was going to see Sans again.

 

Papyrus quickly hopped out of bed and made his way towards his wardrobe, pulling out his clothes for the day as he stripped from his night shirt. As he slipped on a long sleeve shirt, Papyrus’ movements began to slow and his mind continued to wonder.

 

Today he was going to see Sans.

 

Papyrus’ movements halted to a stop as the thought repeated through his head. Everything yesterday happened so fast, yet when he recalled the encounter in his memory, it felt like time had frozen still. Papyrus slowly raised his head to look at himself in the mirror across the room. Part of him felt like yesterday had all been a dream. Every bit of it seemed too surreal. A small voice in the back of Papyrus’ head kept whispering that he wouldn’t find anything in the forest today, that Sans was just a figment of his imagination.

 

Papyrus was quick to shake the doubtful thoughts from his head. No, he wasn’t crazy. He saw what he saw. As incredible as it was, Sans was real.

 

Papyrus finished dressing as he wrapped a warm red scarf around his neck. He took one last look in the mirror before making his way to the kitchen to prepare a lunch basket. Even though the forest was close to the church, he didn’t want the villagers seeing him continuously coming and going. It was best to keep a low profile, for now. After all, the forest was still forbidden.

 

Once Papyrus was finished packing, he grabbed the basket and headed out of the church, being sure to use the back exit. Once outside, Papyrus kept a close eye on the passing villagers, waiting behind the church walls for the townsfolk to be out of view. Once the coast was clear, Papyrus slipped into the thick bushes that lined the forest walls.

 

_______________________________________________________

 

It took Papyrus thirty minutes of straight walking till he came to the familiar clearing that surrounded the largest oak tree in the forest. Papyrus once again took a moment to marvel at the grand tree, noticing how the long branches acted as somewhat of a roof for the forest clearing.

 

Papyrus held his breath as he looked around the area, waiting to see if he could spot the small horned skeleton. Slowly, Papyrus felt his soul grow heavier and heavier as he noticed the forest was completely empty. Other than the recently cleaned stone statue, there was nothing and no one around.

 

Papyrus frowned as he gripped at the basket’s handle harder. Maybe… maybe he had imagined everything yesterday.

 

The thought made Papyrus’ soul feel like lead. He couldn’t help but become overwhelmed with disappointment. He had been looking forward to spending time with Sans. Even though he knew nothing about the creature, Papyrus couldn’t help but feel a spark of connection. It felt like for the first time in his life he met someone who was just as lonely as he was, and who was just as excited to feel wanted…

 

Papyrus lowered his gaze to the forest floor. Had he been that lonely that he created Sans in his head?

 

Papyrus let out another sigh as he walked towards the large oak tree and leaned against the thick, sturdy trunk.

 

“Papyrus?”

 

Papyrus’ head shot up and his soul immediately lifted.

 

There, floating down towards the ground, was the small horned skeleton. His elegant robes and veil fluttered gently in the soft breeze that seemed to be coming from the creatures own magic. Small flower petals danced around him and scattered around the ground as he descended, his small skeletal feet crunching the soft green blades of grass as he made contact.

 

“Sans?” Papyrus whispered in relief and hope.

 

“Sorry, were you waiting long? I was taking a nap. I didn’t even hear you coming…” Sans smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his vertebra. Sans wasn’t used to having visitors. It had been that way for many years now. Normally Sans slept the day away curled up on a branch high in the grand oak tree. It was a strange change of pace to have a reason to wake up in the morning. 

 

“Uh, no! Do not worry, I wasn’t waiting long!” Papyrus fumbled over himself to quickly quell the deity’s worries.

 

Sans smiled at the reassurance, his normally soft, sad grin reaching his eyes. Papyrus felt himself staring fondly at the genuine smile. He still didn’t know why, but seeing Sans happy made his own soul swell with joy.

 

“So uh… did you want a blessing? Or a gift? Or…?” Sans trailed off unsure what Papyrus wanted. Sure he was ecstatic to finally have company, but Sans knew why mortals came to him. They wanted a plentiful harvest, or more rain, or longer summers. He knew the song and dance by now. Sure it had been a long time since any mortal had come to see him, but he was sure he could muster up enough energy to grant a blessing or two.

 

“A what? N-no, that’s not why I’m here.” Papyrus blinked in confusion. Sure he was curious if Sans really did have that kind of power, but that wasn’t his reason for coming today.

 

Sans stepped back, shock flooding his features. “That’s not? Then… why did you clean my alter? And why did you come back?”

 

Papyrus glanced over at the freshly cleaned stone statue before turning his attention back towards the forest god in front of him. “That? I cleaned the statue because well… I thought it was a shame such a once loved monument was left to be forgotten in the forest.”

 

Sans gave him an inquisitive stare, his skull cocking to the side the way it always did when he was confused.

 

“Well… I see now that it was placed here in the forest for a reason. You being the forest god and all…” Papyrus felt his magic warm on his face in embarrassment. He didn’t know at the time!

 

Sans’ curious stare slowly turned into a mirthful smile as he let out soft chuckles of amusement. Papyrus was a strange mortal indeed. Not many would take time out of their day to clean a random, long forgotten alter stashed away in an old forest. But the fact that Papyrus did take the time out of his day to clean his alter made his soul lighten in a way that it hadn’t felt in a long time.

 

“Don’t laugh at me! I didn’t even know gods like you still existed till yesterday!” Papyrus exclaimed in his defense.

 

Sans’ laughter slowly faded and his once cheerful smile descended to a dejected grin. The small skeleton cast his gaze to the ground as he let Papyrus’ words sink in. Of course Papyrus didn’t know he existed. He was forgotten. Mortals had moved on and abandoned him. It wasn’t Papyrus’ fault. He was a relic of the past. He had known this for a while now. It was just… He was finally hearing it out loud...

 

Papyrus noticed the shift in the forest god’s demeanor. He felt his chest tighten with sadness and remorse at the forlorn look on Sans’ face. So, being reminded that he was forgotten was a sensitive topic. He could relate.

 

“I am sorry Sans, I didn’t mean to…” Papyrus struggled to find the right words. What could he say to someone that was abandoned and forgotten? Nothing really.

 

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault. I know you didn’t mean it like that.” Sans turned to the mortal and forced a smile to his skull. He didn’t like seeing Papyrus sad. There was something about this particular mortal that seemed so sincere and innocent. He felt a strong need to protect that innocence.

 

Papyrus could tell Sans was trying to be mindful of his feelings. It was endearing to see a being so grand care about a mere mortal like him. Someone he had just met.

 

“I came because I thought you would like some company.” Papyrus offered shyly as he lifted up his lunch basket.

 

Sans’ face flushed a soft hue of blue as he stared at Papyrus. This mortal, who knew nothing about him, who just met him, didn’t want a blessing or a gift, he just wanted to spend time with him…?

 

“I’d like that…” Sans spoke softly, his frame still frozen in shock.

 

Papyrus let out a quiet ‘Nyeh’ of joy as he quickly set the basket down and removed its contents. With a few flicks of the wrist, he laid out a soft gray blanket to drape over the dirt and grass below. The tall skeleton then knelt down as he continued to rummage through the basket, looking for something that might be appetizing to a forest god.

 

Sans finally shook himself free of his shock as he watched Papyrus set up a little picnic area. The small skeleton slowly stepped onto the soft blanket and flinched. It had been years since he had touched a blanket. Offerings from the villagers long since ceased. Sans was fine with sleeping in the trees, but he had missed the comforts of the mortal world. Sans slowly knelt down on the blanket, his skeletal hand gently running along the soft cotton cloth. It felt warm and inviting.

 

“Here we are.” Papyrus beamed as he handed Sans an apple and a slice of bread. “Fresh from my village’s farm.”

 

“Thank you.” Sans smiled gratefully as he took the food. As a god, there was no need to eat. He was for all intents and purpose immortal, but he could still enjoy food for its taste and the sensation of feeling full.

 

“You're welcome. In fact… It is I who should really be thanking you.” Papyrus admitted with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

 

“Why is that?” Sans asked as he took a bite of the apple.

 

“I feel humbled that a god such as yourself would agree to spend time with me, a mere mortal.” Papyrus laughed at the absurdity of the situation.

 

Sans smiled, but the grin seemed forced. “I’m actually really glad you came Papyrus. You’re the first person to come to my forest in years…”

 

Papyrus was about to take a bite of his own apple when he froze and looked over at Sans, his sockets wide and his soul heavy. “Years…?” He repeated in disbelief.

 

Sans’ grin softened as he nodded. He recalled the days where he would say up, standing by his alter, waiting for a mortal to come by and visit. Day in and day out, through rain and snow, he stood and waited. Only till the cycle of the seasons passed ten times did he realize that the village had moved on and forgotten about him. They were lonely times…

 

Papyrus stared at the small horned skeleton, watching the way he stared off into the distance with sadness and loneliness wearing on his tired sockets. He knew what it was like to be abandoned, to be left alone with no one to talk to, to play with, to confide in. Of course he had Father Gaster, but it wasn’t the same as having family, or friends. But to be all alone for years… Going off the tales of the villagers and the dates in the church’s books, Papyrus could only imagine it had been more than a few years… it had been decades…

 

Without even thinking, Papyrus lunged forward and enveloped the small horned god in his arms. He buried his skull against the crook of Sans neck as he tried to hold back the swell of sadness he felt. “I’m so sorry, Sans!” Like a damn had broke, Papyrus cried. He cried for the other skeleton’s loss, for his loneliness, for the years of abandonment and solitude. He cried. “I’m so sorry that you were left here alone for so long! I’m so sorry!”

 

Sans was stunned into silence. How could a mortal care so much about him? They just met. He wasn’t Papyrus’ god. He knew nothing of him, his past, his powers. And yet, Papyrus wept for him. Sans felt his soul swell at the gesture. This kind mortal cared so much about him. This one mortal who knew nothing about him cared more than the hundreds of villagers who used to worship him.

 

Sans wanted to cry. He wanted to weep over the loneliness he felt, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t cry when he was being held so tightly by a mortal who cried for him. He couldn’t focus on the pain of abandonment when Papyrus was caring for him.

 

Instead, Sans raised his arms and hugged Papyrus back. He closed his eyes and cradled the taller skeleton in his hold.

 

This mortal… His mortal, he would protect them. He would protect their kindness, their innocence, their sincerity, and their soul.

 

Quietly and softly, Sans began to sing. He gently rocked Papyrus back and forth as he let the songs of old echo through the quiet forest and fill the trees with a forgotten melody. He sang softly as his magic enveloped every bone of Papyrus’ body, warming and calming the mortal till he stopped crying.

 

Papyrus relaxed in the arms of the horned skeleton and watched in awe as beautiful pink peony’s began to blossom around them. The once brown and green ground below began to flourish with the soft pastels of wild flowers. If Papyrus had any suspicions that Sans was really a demon in disguise, they were now all cast to the wind. Papyrus was sure that Sans was a god. Only a creature of such stature could be so kind, so gentle, and so beautiful. Papyrus stayed quiet and still as he listened to the rest of Sans’ song, his soul relaxed as he knew he was safe in the forest god’s presence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is so nice having 2k chapters again. OMG! Missed this AU ♥


	4. Lost But Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it's been forever since I've updated. I suck at it. xP

Crickets and frogs of the forest began to serenade the night with their music as the sun set behind the tall trees. Papyrus felt himself at perfect ease as he leaned back against the trunk of the grand oak tree, a very tired and sleepy forest god resting on his lap. He wasn’t exactly sure where the time went, one minute he was having a picnic with the horned deity, and the next minute he realized it was night. Papyrus had been so distraught to discover that Sans had been all alone in the forest for decades, abandoned by the village that used to worship him. He remembered crying for the forgotten god. He also remembered being enveloped in a blanket of warm, soothing magic that he could only assume was Sans’. Magic that eased his pains away and allowed him enough peace to fall asleep for a few hours. Once he had woken up, he noticed Sans had fallen asleep on his lap. The tall skeleton decided it would be rude to wake him, prompting him to stay still against the tree to allow the other some peaceful rest. That was a couple hours ago. 

 

Papyrus shifted in his spot, his joints a little sore from sitting still for so long.

 

The movement wasn’t much, but it was enough to wake Sans. The small horned skeleton opened his dreary sockets, his soft white eye lights moving up to Papyrus’ face. “Oh hey… You’re awake.” Sans smiled tiredly.

 

“I’ve been awake for some time now.” Papyrus clarified with a small chuckle. “But you looked so tired yourself, I decided to let you sleep. I’m sorry if I woke you.”

 

“Sorry for falling asleep on you for so long. It’s been a while since I’ve used my magic. Didn’t realize it would take so much out of me.” Sans admitted shyly as he rubbed at his tired sockets.

 

Papyrus smiled as Sans confirmed his theory. “Thank you, by the way. That was very kind of you.” Papyrus felt a little embarrassed for having such an emotional episode. He just couldn’t help it, he was a passionate skeleton. He cared about people, albeit sometimes he could care a little too much…

 

“No need to thank me.” Sans smiled with a lazy grin as he stretched and flopped back onto Papyrus’ lap. “It was no problem… as long as it’s for you.”

 

Papyrus felt his cheeks warming at the comment. He stayed quiet to keep from sputtering, but he was sure his stiffened posture gave way to his nervous thoughts.

 

Sans noticed the way papyrus’ body went stiff and his eyes darted in every direction as long as it wasn’t at him. The small horned skeleton let out an amused chuckle. It was fun making his mortal flustered.

 

“So…” Papyrus trailed off nervously, desperate to steer the conversation away from him. “Do you always get tired when you use your magic?”

 

“I didn’t used to get tired so easily. It’s probably because I don’t have any worshipers anymore…” Sans noted as he folded his arms in papyrus’ lap, resting his chin on his radius.

 

Papyrus perked up at the response, his eyes honing in on the small skeleton in his lap. “What would worshipers have to do with your magic?”

 

“That’s how us gods work. The more worshipers you have, the more powerful you are. We’re powered by mortal’s beliefs in us.” Sans figured since Papyrus didn’t know deities like him existed that he also wouldn’t know anything about his powers, or how ancient gods worked.

 

Papyrus’ sockets went wide at the new bit of information. This was all incredibly fascinating. There was nothing about this in the church’s history books. “How did you come to be in this forest? When you were worshiped by the village, what were your powers like then?” Papyrus found himself asking without thinking. There was so much to Sans that was a mystery. Papyrus wanted to learn more. He wanted to learn everything there was about the majestic deity.

 

Sans chuckled at Papyrus’ enthusiasm. “That’s a long story. Sure you want to hear it?”

 

“Of course I do! We have time… oh…” Papyrus paused as he noticed once more that it was nightfall. It probably wasn’t best to be out so late, he could get lost in the forest trying to find his way out.

 

“You uh, have to go back to the village, huh?” Sans’ grin lowered as he realized how late it was. Mortals were big on routine. They liked to sleep at night, preferably in the safety of the village and not in a dark, dense forest.

 

“Unfortunately I do…” Papyrus internally grimaced as he realized he hadn’t done any chores around the church for the day. He ended up spending the whole day with Sans.

 

“I guess I’ll let you head on back then…” Sans moved and lifted himself from the comfort of Papyrus’ lap. He immediately yearned for the warmth of the mortal’s closeness again. Something about Papyrus was just so warm and relaxing. He found he preferred sleeping on the taller skeleton over the grand oak tree.

 

“I’ll be back tomorrow!” Papyrus was quick to interject as soon as he saw the familiar lonely look on Sans’ face. “If you want me back that is…” Papyrus was quick to back track and check his manors. As much as he wanted to hang out with Sans more, he wanted to be sure that was what the forest god wanted too.

 

Sans face immediately lit up and the small skeleton smiled brightly. “Of course. I like having you around, Paps.”

 

Papyrus felt his magic flush on his face at the nick name. Stars should he really feel this close and comfortable around Sans already?

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Papyrus confirmed as he stood and grabbed the forgotten lunch basket.

 

“I’ll be here.” Sans shrugged with a soft smile.

 

Papyrus smiled back before heading towards the direction he assumed was the way to leave.

 

“Wait Papyrus!”

 

The tall skeleton turned and shot Sans a questioning look. “Yes?”

 

“What about your blanket?” Sans pointed down at the gray blanket still laying on the ground.

 

Papyrus looked down at the blanket then back at Sans before offering the small horned skeleton his brightest smile. “Keep it.” With that, Papyrus turned back around and headed out of the forest.

 

Sans smiled and placed a skeletal hand against his sternum where his soul swelled. He then reached down with his other hand and stroked the warm, soft cotton.

 

His first gift in decades.

 

Sans sighed softly as he laid back down on the soft blanket, his sockets closing as he relaxed into the cloth that still smelled heavily of his mortal.

 

_______________________________________________________________

 

Papyrus was up and ready to go as soon as the sun shone through the windows of the church. He couldn’t believe how energized he was. Sure he had always been a morning person, but something about today seemed a little extra. Papyrus couldn’t help but wonder if Sans’ magic had anything to do with his exorbitant amounts of energy. He did have a long nap after being comforted by Sans’ magic yesterday. The lengthy skeleton pondered this as he walked towards the kitchen, strapping on his apron to begin preparing for his days lunch basket.

 

As fresh bread baked in the oven, Papyrus decided to get his daily chores out of the way _before_ he went to visit his deity friend in the forest. Normally when Father Gaster left for long visits, Papyrus would be bored out of his mind with nothing to do. But now, he had to rush to finish his chores. His day suddenly full of excitement.

 

Papyrus hummed as he dusted around the living quarters. For the first time in his life, Papyrus felt like he found someone he could really connect to. Sure he had a few friends here and there, but they were always weary around him. Being the priest’s protégé meant people felt like they had to be on their best behavior around him. Villagers didn’t feel comfortable always watching themselves, worried that Papyrus would judge them just like Father Gaster would. Papyrus wished people would give him a chance, then they would see he would never be so cold or harsh. But unfortunately, no villager wanted to take that risk.

 

With the chores done, the bread baked, and the food packed, Papyrus secured his favorite scarf around his neck before venturing out into the village. He needed to buy some cheese before making his trip to the forest, and sadly they had run out of cheese just before Father Gaster left on his staycation at the village headman’s house.

 

Papyrus gave but a passing thought about how much schmoozing Gaster was doing. A whole week at the headman’s house, it sounded like Father Gaster was trying to take the headman’s entire king’s ration.

 

With a quick shake of his head, Papyrus banished the thought from his mind. He didn’t like dwelling on the ethically questionable methods Father Gaster used to ‘further the house of God’, as his teacher would always put.

 

As Papyrus made his way to the town’s small market, he couldn’t help but notice an odd abundance of soldiers wondering around their quaint little village. Papyrus’ brow ridge raised as he watched the kingdom’s soldiers march around making their heavy presence ever more obvious. Strange… maybe they were stopping by on their way out on a distant patrol. Papyrus’ village was rather far from the Kingdom and main city. It would only make sense that the soldiers used their village as a resting spot before heading out into further territory.

 

Without giving the Royal Guard another thought, Papyrus paid for a nice wheel of cheese before turning and making his way towards the forbidden forest.

 

Papyrus was excited to share a good meal and good company with his new deity friend.

 

____________________________________________________________

 

It took Papyrus much less time to traverse the dense foliage of the forbidden forest to find the familiar clearing and grand oak tree. The tall skeleton smiled, taking pride in his gradually increasing explorer skills. He had almost cut the time in half. This spending more time outside rather than staying cooped up indoors with books was becoming quite the adventure.

 

As soon as Papyrus walked into the sunlight that shined down on the clearing, Sans perked up from his resting spot and descended the large oak tree with a large genuine grin on his face. “Morning, Paps!” Sans couldn’t stop his smile from spreading. He had been waiting for his mortal to visit ever since he woke up.

 

Papyrus smiled brightly, a small dusting of orange magic gracing his cheeks at the nickname. He still couldn’t believe that he was on friendly terms with a literal god. The taller skeleton watched as Sans’ robes and veil slowly draped down around the smaller skeleton’s lithe frame. His magic sending loose flower petals scattering around his feet. As soon as Sans’ feet touched the soft grass on the ground, small blooms of bright pink and yellow peonies popped up, following Sans like a trail of light and color.

 

Yup, a literal god. A very elegant, beautiful god…

 

“Morning Sans! Hoped you slept well because I am ready for a fun day!” Papyrus beamed while placing his hands on his hips. So what if his first true friend was a god of old. A connection was a connection, and Papyrus couldn’t deny that he and Sans had one.

 

He couldn’t wait to spend more time with Sans.

 

**. . . . . . . . . .**

 

Papyrus found that he couldn’t stop smiling the entire time he spent with Sans. The energy they shared seemed to feed off one another. Papyrus could tell that the longer Sans hung out with him, the happier he seemed as well. The long, dejected, forced gin on the forest god was all but gone. Papyrus would notice new blooms of pink peonies where ever they went. He quickly caught on to the fact that Sans’ powers and magic were directly linked to his emotions. When he was happy, the forest would grow, bursting with fresh new trees, flowers, and foliage. Sans was literally the heart of the forest.

 

Papyrus felt blessed to have such an amazing friend. He couldn’t imagine how he had lived so complacently before. Now that he knew what it was like to really enjoy life and look forward to the next day, Papyrus didn’t want to ever give this new feeling up.

 

The two finally finished their meal and settled down, lounging under the cool shade of the grand oak tree. The soft summer’s breeze blew the cool air of the nearby creek over the two, leaving them to relax comfortably under the midsummer’s sun.

 

Papyrus smiled softly as the two laid on Sans’ soft grey blanket, the smaller skeleton resting contently on his lap, the other’s arms crossed as a makeshift pillow. Sans’ chest slowly rising and falling to his even, steady breaths. Papyrus wondered in the back of his head if gods even needed to breathe. But, regardless, it made Sans look that much more calm and serene.

 

Actually, if Papyrus were to really compare Sans to anything, it would be to that of a lazy house cat. The thought made him chuckle softly. Without thinking, Papyrus reached up and began to pet Sans’ skull. He was shocked to hear Sans make a noise akin to purring before nuzzling slightly into his hand. 

 

Yup, lazy house cat.

 

Papyrus smiled while the two rest under the grand tree. His little forest god the house cat. Had a funny ring to it.

 

“Hey… Papyrus…?” Sans spoke softly, his sockets still closed as he basked in the calming sensation Papyrus’ pets caused.

 

“Yes, Sans?”

 

Sans was quiet for a while, almost uncomfortably so. The small skeleton clenched his hand into a fist, forcing his nerves down before finally speaking up.

 

“How is the village doing…?”

 

Papyrus’ hand froze. He stared down at the deity in his lap, his emotions unsure how to process the question.

 

After not receiving a response, Sans continued. “I mean… are they okay? They aren’t in trouble right? They have enough food and crops…? They’re getting enough rain..?” Sans looked to the side trying to keep himself from worrying. Papyrus’ silence wasn’t exactly comforting right now.

 

Papyrus flinched as his soul pinged painfully.

 

Sans was abandoned by the village decades ago. Forgotten without so much as a passing thought. The village even went so far as to create a rumor that Sans was a demon, scaring people away from the forest, ensuring that no one would ever come visit him again. They left him and the forest to rot away like a bad memory, even after everything Sans did for them.

 

After all that, after being forgotten and abandoned, Sans still cared about the villagers…

 

Papyrus had to swallow a lump that was forming in his throat. He tried his best to will his emotions down and to keep a leveled voice, void of any sorrow that he truly felt for the selfless deity. “They’re fine! Everyone’s doing great!” Papyrus forced out, his voice just a tad too cheery, but he hoped his mask held.

 

“That’s good… I’m glad they’re all okay.”

 

Sans’ voice was soft, and Papyrus couldn’t tell what the small horned skeleton was thinking. That was until he felt a few wet droplets fall onto his pants.

 

Papyrus frowned. Sans was too kind… he didn’t deserve this…

 

Papyrus reached back out and resumed his petting. He didn’t force Sans to move, or face him. He didn’t ask any more questions, or prompt Sans to speak. He simply continued to pet the smaller skeleton, willing his soul and magic to reach out and comfort Sans the same way he did for him. Papyrus could only hope that he, a mere mortal, was enough to comfort his forest god.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!


End file.
